Protective case for a mobile device

ABSTRACT

A mobile device case includes a soft protective housing defining a camera-lens aperture and a touchscreen display aperture, and a lens attachment interface including a capture plate protruding into the camera-lens aperture sufficient to overlap a coupling interface of a removable lens assembly along the optical path of the miniature camera module, and a catch to facilitate stable locking coupling of the removable lens assembly in optical alignment with the miniature camera module.

PRIORITY AND RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of PCT application ser. no.PCT/US17/62650, filed Nov. 20, 2017; which claims priority to each ofU.S. provisional patent applications ser. nos. 62/424,387, filed Nov.18, 2016, and 62/452,943, filed Jan. 31, 2017.

This application is related to U.S. provisional patent applications Ser.Nos. 62/424,318, filed Nov. 18, 2016 and 62/452,951, filed Jan. 31,2017; and this application is related to U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,729,770,9,467,608, 9,781,319, and 9,596,393, and to U.S. patent applicationsSer. Nos. 29/592,638, filed Jan. 31, 2017, Ser. No. 29/593,579, filedFeb. 9, 2017, Ser. No. 29/593,576, filed Feb. 9, 2017, Ser. No.15/671,076, filed Aug. 7, 2017, PCT/US16/14652, filed Jan. 25, 2016,Ser. No. 15/289,094, filed Oct. 7, 2016, published as US 2017-0099419A1, Ser. No. 15/715,189, filed Sep. 26, 2017, and Ser. No. 15/437,439,filed Feb. 20, 2017, published as US 2017-0223242 A1.

All of the above priority applications and related patents and patentapplications are incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Embedded devices such as mobile phones, including Android, Apple andSamsung phones, are often equipped with miniature camera modules. Theseminiature camera modules typically include only a single fixed-focuslens and an image sensor. Some of these devices have softwareapplications downloaded or otherwise stored on them that permit limitedchoices in pre-capture camera settings, such as exposure duration andflash setting, and some provide limited post-capture image editingcapabilities designed to compensate for the inadequacy of the built-inoptics. Image processing software is however incapable of providing realimages of objects that are too close or too far from the device, or ofscenes including multiple objects that require greater depths of fieldin order to capture them without intolerable amounts of defocus blur orof scenes with moving objects without excessive motion-related blur,among other imaging issues. It is therefore desired to be able tosupplement the built-in optics of a miniature camera-enabled embeddeddevice with one or more additional lenses or other optics.

Auxiliary lenses for mobile smartphones with camera modules aretypically clipped onto the smartphone. These clip-on lenses putmechanical stresses on the smartphone directly along the optical path ofthe camera modules that can result in distortional stresses that canmechanically weaken the device and can distort the optical quality ofcaptured images. Clip-on lenses are also unstable and often movelaterally when smartphone precapture settings are being adjusted, duringimage capture and when the smartphone is being temporarily stored in abag or pocket or on a table top. It is desired to have a way to attachan auxiliary lens to a mobile device in stable alignment with the opticsof the built-in camera module.

Smartphones are used for capturing digital images in a variety ofsituations. In the past, a person operating a camera could not be in thepicture because of the unwieldy nature of the camera and thecamera-object distances typically involved in capturing an entire scenethat may include multiple persons and perhaps background buildings orother objects. Some conventional cameras include a built-in delay toallow the camera operator to quickly duck into the scene that is basedon a predetermined time duration or that uses face recognitiontechniques wherein image capture awaits a smiling camera operator toenter the scene. Either way, it is difficult to spontaneously, stablyand accurately position and direct a camera to capture a picture withoutbeing held by a human operator. Today, “selfies” are more commonly madepossible because smartphones and other mobile devices with built-inminiature camera modules permit front-side display of the precaptureimage and these mobile devices are typically lightweight enough to holdin one hand while an image is captured. Nonetheless, it is desired to beable to more easily handle a mobile device during a one-handed imagecapture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate in front and rear perspective views an exampleattachable auxiliary lens 102 configured for coupling with a lensattachment interface of a case for a mobile camera-enabled device inaccordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an attachable auxiliary lens assembly302 that includes an auxiliary lens 102 and a hood 304 in accordancewith certain embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a mobile phone case with an attachedauxiliary lens including a hood in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front perspective view of an empty mobile devicecase 508 in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate back perspective views of a mobile phone casewith a top section bent a few degrees backward at a bendable zonesufficient for insertion of the mobile device in accordance with certainembodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates a mobile device case that has a mobile device fullyinserted into a recess that may be form fit approximately to receive theshape of the back wall and four peripheral walls of the outer housing ofthe mobile device, in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate front and back perspective views,respectively, a rigid material layer component of a mobile device casein accordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an example of a two material layercase including a rigid layer component and an elastomer component orother thermoplastic or other soft material layer component, inaccordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 12 illustrates another example of a two material layer caseincluding a rigid layer component and a soft layer component inaccordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 13 schematically illustrates an exploded view of a mobile devicecase in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 14 schematically illustrates a capture plate that includes agradually-sloped, partial circular segment for coupling an auxiliarylens to a mobile device case in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 15 schematically illustrates top, side, bottom, front and backperspective views of a capture plate for coupling an auxiliary lens to amobile device case in accordance with certain embodiments.

FIG. 16 schematically illustrates top, side, bottom and top perspectiveviews of a spring clip for coupling and locking an auxiliary lens to amobile device in precise, stable alignment with a camera module of amobile device inserted within a mobile device case in accordance withcertain embodiments.

FIG. 17 schematically illustrates left and right side views, a frontview, a bottom view and a front perspective view of a rigid materiallayer component of a mobile device case in accordance with certainembodiments.

FIG. 18 schematically illustrates a two material layer protective casefor a mobile camera-enabled device in accordance with certainembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments include modifications and improvements of embodimentsdescribed in the above-identified patents and patent applications.Further embodiments are illustrated in the attached drawings figures. Acase for a mobile camera-enabled device may include a lens interfacethat uses spring loaded coupling for locking a removable, attachablelens into place along the optical path of the camera module of themobile device.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate in front and rear perspective views an exampleattachable auxiliary lens 102 configured for coupling with a lensattachment interface of a case for a mobile camera-enabled device inaccordance with certain embodiments. Lens types may include wide angle,zoom, microscope, or telescoping lens assemblies, and/or multiplelenses, multiple lens groups that may be translatable, rotatable orotherwise adjustable or fixed relative to built-in components such as animage sensor of a mobile device and/or relative to other fixed oradjustable, attachable and/or removable, lens groups that may form anoptical assembly capable of imaging objects and scenes onto the imagesensor that have far superior image quality or image capturecharacteristics compared with images that may be captured by a built-incamera module with a single fixed lens, for example, of a conventionalmobile device. The lens 102 may include an aspherical lens surface thatmay be configured for compensating or correcting higher orderaberrations such as astigmatism, wide angle distortion and/or obliqueaberrations.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an attachable auxiliary lens assembly302 that includes an auxiliary lens 102 and a hood 304 in accordancewith certain embodiments. The hood 304 may be otherwise configured,e.g., as illustrated and described in multiple examples including thoseshown and described with reference to FIGS. 15D, 151, 15K, 38D, 38E,38F, 39C in U.S. Pat. No. 9,467,608 which is incorporated by reference.The attachable and removable lens 302 illustrated in the example of FIG.3 may include an attached or integral hood 304 that appears white,diffusive, and/or significantly translucent or opaque. The hood 304 mayenclose a 5 mm to 75 mm length of an optical path from an object-sidesurface of the auxiliary lens 102 and extending away on the object sideof the auxiliary lens 102. The example hood 304 shown in FIG. 3 has acircular or modestly elliptical cross-section that increases linearly oruniformly in diameter, area and/or distance from a center line of theoptical path as the distance increases further and further from anobject-side surface of the lens 102 on an object side of the lens 102 ina direction away from the image end of the optical assembly. The linearand/or uniform increase in diameter of the hood 304 may also changesmoothly or abruptly from a first rate to a second slower rate at adistance from the object-side surface of the lens 102 that is betweenabout a tenth and a half of the total hood height, e.g., at a third,fourth or fifth of the total hood height from the object-side surface ofthe lens 102 on the object side of the lens 102.

Hoods 304 in accordance with alternative embodiments may includedifferent colors, different degrees of diffusivity, opacity,translucency, transmissivity, absorptivity, reflectivity and/ortransparency, different sizes in width and/or height, differentgradients of increasing width and/or diameter away from an image end ofthe optical assembly, and/or multiple gradients and/or straightpolygonal, hybrid or curved contoured sizes and shapes. Hoods of variousheight, width and material composition may be used to reduce the amountof unwanted light impacting the image sensor at extreme angles orotherwise that could significantly impact image quality as noise. Anattachable and/or removable auxiliary lens assembly 302 in accordancewith certain embodiments may include a hood 304 with a rounded bodyshape with flat or smooth glass.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front perspective view of an empty mobile devicecase 508 in accordance with certain embodiments. The empty case 508 ofFIG. 5 defines a recess 509 that is configured in size and shape tosecurely and comfortably accommodate a mobile device therein such as aniphone or an Android or Samsung device, or another mobile phone ormobile camera-enabled device. Several examples are provided herein ofvarious embodiments of cases that are configured for an iphone, whilethe advantageous features and benefits described in these exampleembodiments are generally applicable to mobile devices of variousshapes, sizes, component architectures and functional capabilities.

A mobile device case 508 in accordance with certain embodiments mayinclude a lens attachment interface that also in part or in wholedefines a camera aperture or camera-flash aperture. A lens attachmentinterface 510 may be built into the case 508 or may be defined by anattachable component that may include guides or guiding parts that mayprovide mechanical or visual direction in placing an attachable andremovable hooded lens 304 into position along the optical path of thecamera module of a mobile device disposed within a case 508, such as inthe example of FIG. 4. A lens attachment aperture 510 in accordance withcertain embodiments may be customized for mechanical, electrical and/oroptical coupling, and/or for wireless or wired signal coupling, to aparticular mobile device or mobile device case and may include one ormore stops or filters, and may have a shape designed for coupling with abayonet interface or other mechanical coupling interface of an auxiliarylens 304. A lens attachment aperture 510 may also serve as an opticalclipping aperture, and/or may be configured for otherwise blocking,reflecting, redirecting, spectrally filtering and/or absorbing ortrapping light.

A case 508 may be formed from two different materials that may have beenmelted and cured together or otherwise blended into a single compositematerial mold, or double-shot injection molded, or that may be disposedin layers of materials that serve different purposes and thus have oneor more different properties such as hardness, elasticity, malleability,durability, deformability, texture, density, or combinations ofmechanical and thermal, aesthetic, electrical and/or optical properties.For example, a case in accordance with certain embodiments may include arigid inner layer, e.g., polycarbonate, that has high resistance tobeing deformed inwardly and significant capacity to maintain its shapeunder pressure, and a soft elastomeric outer layer that is configured toabsorb external impacts by compression in the direction of impact and byspreading laterally away from the impact region such that the inner PClayer experiences a reduced force and is less likely to deform orcollapse or become crushed or to otherwise contact or damage the mobiledevice.

The two or more layers may each be formed from a single uniform, perhapsmonochromatic, material as in the example of FIG. 5, that may include asingle or composite source material, with or without any volumetric orsurface additives, such as glass, metal and/or carbon fibers which mayalter one or more aesthetic or mechanical or electrical or thermalproperties of one or both material layers of the case 508. A case 508with two layers may include a rigid inner layer and a soft, elastic,thermoplastic and/or thermoplastic elastomeric outer layer in certainembodiments, while in other embodiments the case 508 may include a softinner layer and a rigid outer shell or three or more layers. In certainembodiment, a two material layer case 508 may include a rigid innerpolycarbonate layer or skeleton and a thermoplastic elastomeric or TPEor TPU outer layer.

The case 508 illustrated in the example of FIG. 5 includes a bendablezone 512 or hinge region 512 that facilitates mobile device insertionand removal by bending a few degrees or 10°, or 20°, or 30° or 45° orless such as to permit bottom-first insertion of the mobile device atthe bendable zone 512 followed by sliding along or otherwise translatingrelative to and/or coplanar with a back wall of the case 508 until themobile device is fully inserted without relative rotation other than thebending of the case at the bendable zone 512 or hinge region 512. Thatis, the mobile device and a back wall of the case may remain disposed inapproximately coplanar relative disposition during the entire insertionevent, thereby preventing bending and gradual weakening of the thinperipheral walls of the case during insertion of the device and ensuringthat a connector interface, such as a lightning interface, on the bottomperipheral surface of the mobile device, for receiving charge from awall outlet or other external power source and/or for exchanging datawith an external device, is aligned with a complementary lightningconnector 514 protruding into the recess 509 from an inner surface of abottom wall of the case 508, such as to automatically couple the mobiledevice to the lightning connector component 514 when the bottom of themobile device is slid all the way along the length of the case untilcontact is made with the inner surface of the bottom wall of the case.

One or more cutouts 516A as illustrated in the example of FIG. 5, and/orone or more perforated quasi-buttons 616B as illustrated in the exampleof FIG. 6, may be provided at positions along any of the four peripheralwalls to facilitate actuation of an adjacent button or other controller,switch or actuator on the mobile device. Audio openings 520A, 520B areillustrated in FIG. 5, e.g., in two sections on either side of alightning connector 514. These audio openings 520A, 520B are providedfor receiving external sounds, such as from a speaking voice, through anouter front-facing and/or bottom facing surface of a bottom peripheralwall of the case 508 to effectively reach a microphone on the mobiledevice and/or for expelling sounds from an audio speaker on the mobiledevice.

The case 608 is shown in back perspective view with a top section bent afew degrees, or several degrees, or 5°-45° backward at a bendable zone612 or hinge region 612 just sufficient for insertion of the mobiledevice 621 by sliding the mobile device 621, bottom of device 621 first,from the bendable zone 612 or hinge region 612 until the bottom of thedevice 621 contacts the inner surface of the bottom wall of the recess609. In some embodiments, there is no relative rotation of the device621 relative to the case 608, and instead with the device 621 remains incoplanar juxtaposition with the back wall of the case 608 during theinsertion from the bendable zone 612 or hinge region 612 to fullyinserted allowing the back wall of the case 608 to return to its flat,planar equilibrium configuration. The bending of the case 608 at thebendable zone 612 by only a few to several degrees, or between 5-45° orbetween 15-35°, does not cause so much weakening of the case at thebendable zone 612 as to compromise the strength and integrity of thecase 608 as a single piece, two layer protective case 608.

In alternative embodiments, the bendable zone 612 or hinge region 612 isvery thin or even divides to separated upper and lower sections,respectively, of rigid material above and below the bendable zone 612 orhinge region 612. In these embodiments, the upper region may be bentback or hinged at a greater angle than in other embodiments wherein thebending or hinging is resisted more strongly.

A perforated quasi-button 616B is provided in the example of FIG. 6 at alocation that will be adjacent to a mobile device button 617B when themobile device is fully inserted into the case 608. A camera flashaperture 610 is also defined in the back wall of the case 608 to permittransmission of light from a camera flash 611A through the aperture 610to illuminate an object or scene and to permit transmission of lightreflected from the object or scene to traverse an optical path of thecamera module of the mobile device to be focused and captured at theimage sensor 611B of the camera module of the mobile device. The cameraflash aperture 610 may include a continuous area cutout as in theexample of FIG. 6 or may include multiple cutouts such as a first cameracutout and a second, separate flash cutout.

FIG. 7 illustrates a case 708 having a mobile device partially insertedsuch that the top of the case is rotated a few degrees by hinging at thebendable zone 712. A camera-flash aperture 710 is disposed andconfigured for advantageous illumination and capture of digital imageswith the camera module of the mobile device, and also for coupling anattachable auxiliary lens into the optical path of the camera module toenhance one or more imaging characteristics, qualities or capabilitiesof the camera module 711B of the mobile device. A mobile device button,switch, controller or actuator 717A may be manipulated by the user ofthe mobile device through the cutout 716A, and a pair of perforatedquasi-buttons 716B are shown in FIG. 7 in proximate disposition along aside wall of the case 708 for adjusting a mobile device volume up anddown by actuating, respectively, separate up and down volume controlbuttons on the mobile device.

FIG. 8 illustrates a mobile device case 808 that has a mobile device 821fully inserted into a recess 809 that may be form fit approximately toreceive the shape of the back wall and four peripheral walls of theouter housing of the mobile device 821. The case 808 of FIG. 8 defines awindow or opening in a front wall of the case 808 in certain embodimentsthat has at least an approximately same size and shape as a touch screendisplay on the mobile device which itself occupies substantially thefront surface of the mobile device, such that only a thin peripheryoverlaps the front surface of the mobile device just at the very edgesof the mobile device in certain embodiments the extent of overlap is notmore than the thickness of the outer wall of the mobile device housing.Alternatively, the case 808 may not have a front wall or front facingsurface at all, and instead may have only a back wall and fourperipheral side walls. The case 808 defines audio in and/or audio outcavities 820A, 820B in a front-facing strip of surface at the bottom ofthe case 808 on either side of a lightning connector interface 814. Afurther audio in and/or audio out cavity 830 is defined in this exampleembodiment in a bottom facing outer peripheral surface.

FIGS. 9-10 illustrate front and back perspective views, respectively, ofa rigid layer component 932 that may comprise polycarbonate in certainembodiments. The rigid layer component 932 may be configured for amobile device case that may also include an elastomeric outer layer suchas in the examples illustrated at FIGS. 4-8, or for a case that includesan elastomeric inner layer, or for a case that has both inner and outerelastomeric layers, i.e., an elastomeric layer on either side, bothfront and back sides, of rigid layer 932, or for a case that includes asingle interlocking elastomeric component that includes a subset ofparts disposed between the rigid layer 932 and the mobile device and asecond subset of other parts that are disposed outside the rigid layer932, i.e. having the rigid layer 932 disposed between the mobile deviceand the second subset of elastomeric parts.

The rigid layer component 932, 1032 in the examples of FIGS. 9-10,respectively, includes a recess 909 having a size and shape thataccommodates, and may form fit, an outer housing size and shape of aparticular mobile device, such as an iphone, Android phone, or Samsungphone. The rigid layer component 932, 1032 of FIGS. 9-10, respectively,also defines a camera flash aperture 910, 1010 at a location thatcorresponds to the locations and shapes and sizes of camera and flashcomponents of the particular mobile device that it is designed toprotect. The rigid layer component 932, 1032 of FIGS. 9-10,respectively, includes a peripheral wall that is continuous from thebottom of each long side wall 933, 935/1035 up and across the topperipheral side wall 934 and down to the bottom of the other side wall935/1035, 933. A bottom peripheral side wall opening 936, 1036 isdefined in the rigid layer component 932, 1032 to facilitate insertionof the mobile device into the recess 909 through the opening 936, 1036at the bottom of a case that includes the rigid layer component 932,1032.

FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an example of a two material layercase 1108 including a rigid layer component 1132 and an elastomercomponent 1138 or otherwise soft material layer component 1138. The softlayer component 1138 in the example of FIG. 11 includes a continuousouter side wall and defines a significant opening in a back wall throughwhich the rigid layer component 1132 can be seen, whereas the cases 408,508, 608, 708 and 808 in the examples of FIGS. 4-8, respectively, do notdefine openings in the back wall of the elastomer layer component 1138other than the camera flash aperture 510, 610, 710.

FIG. 12 illustrates another example of a two material layer case 1208including a rigid layer component 1232 and a soft layer component 1238.A two-cavity camera-flash aperture 1210 is shown that includes a flashcavity and a separate camera cavity. In certain embodiments, the rigidlayer component 1232 includes a single camera-flash opening 1210, whilethe soft layer component 1238 defines separate camera and flashcavities, and also defines an opening covering more than half the areaof the back wall of the soft material layer component 1238 .

The single camera-flash opening 1210 in the elastomer layer 1238 isadvantageously provided even in embodiments where an underlying rigidlayer component 1232 defines separate camera and flash apertures,because the single camera-flash aperture 1210 has an elongated shapethat makes the aperture 1210 advantageous in its dual role as auxiliarylens attachment aperture. A bayonet coupling interface is provided incertain embodiments with a protruding edge or an otherwise more or lesselongated shape in the plane which is normal to the centerline opticalpath of the optical assembly. The elongated shape of the aperture 1210facilitates coupling with an auxiliary lens 102, 304 that includes abayonet coupling interface component, because a bayonet may be easilypassed through the aperture 1210 when the elongated dimensions of thebayonet and the aperture 1210 are aligned. After the bayonet passesthrough the aperture 1210, the auxiliary lens 102, 304 may be rotateduntil the elongated bayonet direction becomes aligned with the narrowdimension of the aperture 1210. In this orientation the edges of theaperture 1210 overlap the bayonet edge such that the elongated bayonetedge becomes now interlocked with the overlapping edges of case bodymaterial and/or with one or more additional components that may be usedto define the edges of the aperture 1210 with special shapes designedfor enhancing the alignment precision and mechanical stability ofcoupling an auxiliary lens 102, 304 into the optical assembly of themobile device camera module.

In certain embodiments, the edge of aperture 1210 may be coupled withone or more components that further facilitate the optical precision andmechanical stability of alignment of the auxiliary lens 102, 304 withthe optical path defined by built-in lens and image sensor components ofthe camera module of the mobile device. The rigid layer materialcomponent 1232 of the example shown in FIG. 12 also defines a cutout1216A that permits access to a mobile phone button, switch, interfaceconnector and/or interface actuation control.

FIG. 13 schematically illustrates an exploded view of a mobile devicecase 1308 in accordance with another alternative embodiment. A case body1332 formed from a rigid material such as polycarbonate is configuredfor bottom insertion as in the examples of FIGS. 9-11. An inner lining1340 and back plate 1341 are disposed coplanar with front and backsurfaces of a back wall of the case body 1332. A capture plate 1342 andspring clip 1344 are utilized in this embodiment to facilitate lockingcoupling of an auxiliary lens in precise alignment along the opticalpath of the camera module of the mobile device. The capture plate 1342and spring clip 1344 are described in more detail with below withreference respectively to FIGS. 14-15 and FIG. 16. The rigid layercomponent 1332 in the example of FIG. 13 includes two peripheralquasi-buttons 1316A at iphone volume control button locations and twocutouts 1316B defined in opposing long side peripheral walls at iphoneswitch or button or other actuation control locations.

FIG. 14 schematically illustrates a capture plate 1442 that includes agradually-sloped, partial circular segment 1448 extending forapproximately π/2 radians or about 90° in this example, or in a rangebetween approximately π/4 radians or about 45° and approximately 3π/4radians or about 135° between a first end 1449A and a second end 1449B.An elongated bayonet coupling of an attachable auxiliary lens (see lens102 of FIGS. 1-2 and/or lens 304 of FIGS. 3-4, as well as U.S. Pat. No.9,467,608 which is incorporated by reference) may be inserted through acamera-flash aperture 1310, e.g., with an elongated bayonet couplingaligned with the elongated camera flash-aperture 1310 with one end ofthe bayonet coupling overlapping the partial circular segment 1448 atone end 1449A, and then the bayonet is rotated such that the bayonet endoverlapping the gradually-sloped, partial circular segment 1448 of thecapture plate 1442 that extends for π/2 radians or about 90° in thisexample, or in a range between approximately π/4 radians or about 45°and approximately 3π/4 radians or about 135° between a first end 1449Aand a second end 1449B, traverses the partial circular segment 1448 asthe lens 102, 304 is rotated until it reaches the second end 1449B wherethe bayonet may be locked by a catch of a spring clip or squeeze-lockedin stable optical alignment with the camera module of the device orotherwise becomes disposed in stable equilibrium such as at a recessdefined at the second end 1449B of the circular segment 1448. In thisexample, an auxiliary lens 102, 304 may be securely coupled to a mobilephone case, such as example cases 508, 608, 708, 808, 1108, 1208, or1308, at a lens attachment aperture and/or at a camera-flash aperture orat a stand-alone camera aperture defined in a back or front wall of anexample case for an example mobile phone that has a flash and a camerafor illuminating and capturing images of objects and scenes facing theback or front wall, respectively, of a mobile device that has beeninserted into the case 508, 608, 708, 808, 1108, 1208, or 1308.

FIG. 15 schematically illustrates top, side, bottom, front and backperspective views of a capture plate 1542 in accordance with certainembodiments that is configured for facilitating coupling of an auxiliarylens 102, 304 to a mobile device case at a camera-flash aperture definedin the case such that the auxiliary lens is locked into stable alignmentalong the optical path of a camera module of a mobile device that isinserted into the case for capturing high quality and/or high resolutionstill and/or video images. The capture plate 1542 may comprise apolycarbonate resin or other rigid material of texture MT-11010 that isapproximately 12 mm×6.2 mm×1.2 mm.

FIG. 16 schematically illustrates top, side, bottom and top perspectiveviews of a spring clip 1644 in accordance with certain embodiments thatis configured for facilitating coupling of an auxiliary lens to a mobiledevice case at a camera-flash aperture defined in the case such that theauxiliary lens is locked into stable alignment along the optical path ofa camera module of a mobile device that is inserted into the case forcapturing high quality and/or high resolution still and/or video images.The spring clip 1644 includes a catch 1651 that locks a bayonetinterface component of an attachable auxiliary lens 102, 304 into stableoptical alignment with a camera module of the mobile device to enhanceits imaging capability.

FIG. 17 schematically illustrates left and right side views, a frontview, a bottom view and a front perspective view of a rigid materiallayer component 1732 of a mobile device case 1708. A combined auxiliarylens attachment interface and camera flash aperture 1710 is definedwithin the case 1708 to enhance the camera module of the mobile devicefor capturing high resolution, quality images. The case in FIG. 17includes cutouts 1716A for actuating certain switches on the mobiledevice and a pair of peripheral quasi buttons 1716B for adjusting soundvolume up and down on the mobile device. The mobile device may be bottomloaded at an opening defined in a U-shaped peripheral side wall of therigid component 1732.

FIG. 18 schematically illustrates a two material layer protective case1808 for a mobile camera-enabled device, such as an android, Samsung oriphone device. The two layer case 1808 includes a rigid inner materiallayer component 1832 and a soft outer elastomer or other soft materialcomponent layer 1838. A camera-flash aperture 1810A is defined in thesoft layer 1838 and a camera-flash aperture is also defined in the rigidlayer 1832. The rigid layer 1832 is coupled in certain embodiments witha capture plate 1842 and a spring clip 1844, e.g., as described withreference to FIGS. 14-16 and serve to ensure an optically andmechanically stable alignment of the auxiliary lens 102, 304 uponcoupling with the protective case 1808 along an optical axis of abuilt-in camera module of a mobile device that is inserted into the case1808.

A two material layer case 1808 may be manufactured using a double shotinjection molding process to generate the main body of the case. Thelens attachment aperture 1810B is already defined in part at itsperiphery by an integral capture plate 1842 (see FIGS. 14-15) in certainembodiments, or a capture plate 1842 may be coupled at or around thelens attachment aperture periphery during assembly. A spring clip 1844(see FIG. 16) may now be heat staked into place or coupled in itsposition just behind the capture plate 1842. The spring clip 1844includes a catch 1851 that locks the bayonet interface into place at anendpoint 1849B after rotating along the gradually-sloped circularsegment 1848 for 30-150° from starting at 1849A in elongated alignmentwith the camera-flash aperture 1810A, 1810B. After heat staking thespring 1844 into its place protruding from a peripheral edge of thecamera-flash interface opening 1810B and overlapping an insertion pathof a bayonet interface end, a plastic capture plate 1842 isultrasonically welded in overlapping juxtaposition of the spring clip1844. In certain embodiments, an inner lining 1340 and back plate 1341of the example of FIG. 13 are adhered to the rigid material layer 1832which is then coupled to or over-molded with or fastened together byinterlocking protrusions or clipped or screwed or snapped together toform the two material layer case 1808

A mobile device case in accordance with described and alternativeembodiments may optionally include a wireless Bluetooth antenna orelectrical power and/or data coupling interface for communicating withthe mobile device or receiving battery power from the mobile device torun certain straight-forward tasks involving alignment or calibration oridentification of an attached auxiliary lens, e.g., in an embodimentthat includes a MEMS actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, or a voice coilmotor actuator for adjusting the auxiliary lens along the optical axisof the camera module of the mobile device. The case may draw power froma wall outlet separate from plugging in the mobile device or both may bepowered by a single plug into a wall outlet or the mobile device may beallowed to become fully charged before the case may utilize the powerfrom the wall outlet.

Several embodiments have been described herein that include one or twoor more material layer components that are over-molded or co-molded orsingle or double shot injection molded or otherwise interlocked orcoupled together to form a one-piece mobile device case. In alternativeembodiments, two or more sections may snap together to assemble the caseafter insertion of the mobile device, such that these alternativeembodiments do not have a bendable zone 512, 612, 712 nor an opening936, 1036, 1136, 1336, 1736, 1836 in the bottom peripheral wall nor inthe top or side peripheral walls for the purpose of inserting the mobiledevice into the case either at the bendable zone or through the openingin the peripheral wall.

In certain embodiments, a connector may be provided to pass audio fromthe mobile device to an external sound system or head set and/or to passelectric power through to charge the mobile device, e.g., including anapple LAM product.

In certain embodiments, the snugness of the form fit of the recess 509,909, 1309 in the single material layer case 508 or in a rigid materiallayer component 932, 1332, e.g., of a multi-layer case 1308 serves tosecure the mobile device without an additional inner soft layercomponent, nor any springs, latches nor cushions disposed between themobile device and the rigid layer component 932, 1332, although one ormore of these may be included in alternative embodiments.

Several embodiments have been described that define an opening in thefront for direct user touch access to a touch screen interface of aninserted mobile device and/or a camera-flash opening, e.g., 1310, and/orcutouts, e.g., 1316B, such that a case in accordance with theseembodiments is neither pressure controlled, nor water tight nor airtight. In alternative embodiments, one or more thin membranes may beprovided across one or more openings or cutouts to waterproof the devicewhile still permitting user interface access and/or transmission oflight.

A rigid material layer component of a case in accordance with certainembodiments may include polycarbonate, e.g., Sabic Lexan EXL1414, or apolycarbonate/PBT material blend, e.g., Sabic Xenoy ENH2900 or SabicValox 357U. A soft material layer component of a case in accordance withcertain embodiments may include a thermoplastic such as a TPE or a TPU,e.g., P.R.C. 46 Series TPU Shore 80A, or a TPU/Silicone blend, e.g.,TPSiV 3541 Shore 80A. A capture plate component of a case in accordancewith certain embodiments may include same or similar materials as therigid component, including polycarbonate, e.g., Sabic Lexan EXL1414, ora polycarbonate/PBT material blend, e.g., Sabic Xenoy ENH2900 or SabicValox 357U. PC and/or TPE surfaces may have MT-11010 and/or MT-11020texture. An overall dimension of a case may be approximately 140 mm×68mm×11 mm, and the case size and shape can be adjusted to fit the sizeand shape of the particular mobile device that will be inserted andprotected by the case.

In certain embodiments, a capture plate may be heat staked in placerelative to the camera-flash aperture and/or lens attachment aperture,and a spring clip may be ultrasonically welded. For example, caseassembly may include locating a spring clip using bosses on a case body,heat staking bosses to permanent assemble spring clip into place, andcovering spring clip with capture plate and ultrasonically welding forpermanent assembly, while an example process in accordance with theembodiment of FIG. 13 may also include removing a backer and applying aninner lining using double sided adhesive and removing a backer andapplying a back plate using double sided adhesive. In certainembodiments, two or more locating pins may be used to accurately locatethe spring clip before heat staking and ultrasonic welding of thecapture plate. Alternatively, vibration welding, laser welding, hotplate welding, spin welding ultrasonic welding or infrared welding oranother thermal process may be employed to couple the capture plateand/or the spring clip at the lens attachment aperture edge, or thecapture plate and/or spring clip may be formed or molded together withthe case or with a case material layer component using an integratedshape and configuration at an edge of a lens attachment aperture and/orcamera-flash aperture.

We claim:
 1. A mobile camera system, comprising: a camera enabled mobiledevice including a miniature camera module embedded within the mobiledevice including a built-in lens and an image sensor for capturingdigital images; a mobile device processor configured for processing thedigital images; a mobile device display for viewing the digital images;a case coupled around the camera-enabled mobile device, wherein saidcase comprises: a housing defining a camera-lens aperture and atouchscreen display aperture, said housing being configured to securelycouple around at least a portion of the periphery of said mobile device;and a lens attachment interface comprising a capture plate comprising adetent segment protruding into the camera-lens aperture across at leasta portion of a periphery of the camera-lens aperture sufficient tooverlap a bayonet tab of a coupling interface of a removable lensassembly along an optical path of the miniature camera module, and acatch comprising a spring clip or a recess trap or a combination thereofto automatically prevent backward rotation and thereby to facilitateautomatic stable locking coupling upon forward rotation of the removablelens assembly including moving said bayonet tab along said detentsegment between a starting orientation and a final stable orientationengaged with said catch in optical alignment with said miniature cameramodule.
 2. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein said couplinginterface comprises a bayonet tab and the capture plate comprises agradually-sloped detent segment configured to overlap the bayonet tab ata first end of the detent segment, wherein the catch comprises a springor recess trap or combination thereof disposed at a second end of thedetent segment, and said bayonet tab is rotatable between said first andsecond ends of said detent segment to engage said catch and facilitatesaid stable locking coupling.
 3. The mobile camera system of claim 2,wherein said catch comprises a spring clip.
 4. The mobile camera systemof claim 2, wherein said detent segment of the capture plate betweensaid first and second ends for rotation of said bayonet tab therethroughcomprises between 45° and 135°.
 5. The mobile camera system of claim 1,wherein said coupling interface comprises a compression bud and saidcapture plate comprises a bottleneck configured to overlap a peripheryof the compression bud, and said compression bud is compressible topenetrate the bottleneck and decompressible after the bottleneck tofacilitate said stable locking coupling.
 6. The mobile camera system ofclaim 1, wherein said lens coupling interface comprises a snap componentand the capture plate comprises a complementary snap componentconfigured to stably couple with said snap component of said couplinginterface to facilitate said stable locking coupling.
 7. The mobilecamera system of claim 1, wherein said coupling interface comprises afeedthrough component and the capture plate comprises a complementaryfeedthrough receiver component configured to stably couple with saidcoupling interface to facilitate said stable locking coupling.
 8. Themobile camera system of claim 1, wherein the capture plate comprisespolycarbonate resin or a rigid material of texture MT-11010 or both. 9.The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein an inner edge of casematerial that defines the periphery of the camera-flash aperturecomprises a dark color.
 10. The mobile camera system of claim 1, whereinsaid case housing uniformly comprises a case material with said samedark color as said inner edge of said lens attachment aperture.
 11. Themobile camera system of claim 1, wherein said case housing comprises asoft outer material layer and a rigid inner material layer, and saidcamera-lens aperture comprises a uniform cutout from said soft outermaterial layer of said case housing, and said lens attachment interfacecomprises a bevel.
 12. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein saidlens attachment interface comprises polycarbonate.
 13. The mobile camerasystem of claim 1, wherein the case housing is further configured todefine therein said lens attachment interface.
 14. The mobile camerasystem of claim 1, wherein the camera-lens aperture is further shaped tocouple a lens attachment interface with the case.
 15. The mobile camerasystem of claim 1, wherein the camera-lens aperture is shaped tointegrally include a lens attachment interface.
 16. The mobile camerasystem of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary optical assemblycoupled to said lens attachment interface, wherein said auxiliaryoptical assembly comprises: a removable lens assembly including a lensholder, a lens coupled to the lens holder, and a coupling interface. 17.The mobile camera system of claim 16, wherein the auxiliary lensassembly further comprises a hood coupled to or integral with the lensholder and extending away from an object side of the lens.
 18. Themobile camera system of claim 16, wherein a cross-section of the hoodincreases linearly or uniformly in diameter, area or distance, orcombinations thereof, with distance away from the object side of thelens holder.
 19. The mobile camera system of claim 16, wherein said hoodcomprises a first hood section beginning at an object end of said lensholder and a second hood section beginning at an object end of saidfirst hood section between about a tenth and a half of the total hoodheight, wherein said first and second hood sections define an aperturethat gradually increases with distance away from the object side of thelens within said first hood section.
 20. The mobile camera system ofclaim 16, wherein said hood which exhibits a rounded body shape andcomprises flat or smooth glass.
 21. The mobile camera system of claim 1,wherein the housing comprises a soft thermoplastic material and theauxiliary lens interface comprises a hard polycarbonate material. 22.The mobile camera system of claim 1, further comprising a rechargeablecase battery that is disposed in a battery compartment defined in thecase housing and configured to power the mobile device when the mobiledevice is low on battery power or is out of battery power.
 23. Themobile camera system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery isconnected to an interface that is connectable to an external powersource across which data may be communicated.
 24. The mobile camerasystem of claim 1, further comprising a case processor and electricalcircuitry embedded within the housing and configured to detect thepresence of the auxiliary optical assembly coupled to the lensattachment interface.
 25. The mobile camera system of claim 24, whereinthe case processor and electrical circuitry and further configured to beprogrammable by a software application in accordance with a lensrecognition process, selectable pre-capture settings or post-captureimage editing or combinations thereof.
 26. The mobile camera system ofclaim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery is further configured to powera case processor and electrical circuitry embedded within the caseconnector.